Are you aged 55 or over?

[Vintagejazz]

Just heard an ad on Smooth FM for retirement homes for people aged 55 or over. . My sister will be 55 in November. She was at a party last night, is flying to Geneva tomorrow for some work meetings, and is meeting me next weekend for lunch and clothes shopping. She and her husband play tennis at least twice a week and work in very high powered jobs. They have barbecues, go to concerts and run marathons.

Seriously, marketing retirement homes at 55 year olds?? In this day and age?? AIBU to think this is absolutely crazy and totally out of touch with reality?

Doesn't it depend on the meaning of 'retirement home' though? Are there any that are like very posh makeovers of wings of stately homes that are a bit like health farms where people live when they've sold the big family house?

You know, gyms, restaurants, swimming pools/spa and manicured gardens.

These retirement complexes won't take those with dementia- so it isn't relevant. My mother moved into one aged 89yrs but she has all her faculties.

How depressing.

I am nearly 56. DD is nearly 14. I cycle, swim, walk and have just joined a gym. I am not ready to be old just yet.

My mother's is very nice so I would be happy to think about it if I get to late 80s.

The extra care ones will. It is all v depressing.

It's bloody insulting and presents a terrible image of 50 somethings. I presume they think people in their 60s are in bath chairs and those in their 70s are all ga ga and bed ridden.
It's pretty disgusting actually.

They won't let you in with a 14 yr old Bunbaker!
I shouldn't worry- I took up running half marathons aged 60yrs.

I know it's unusual but neither of my parents made it to 56. I'm taking nothing for granted now I'm 50. Yes the majority of people are fit and healthy - my mum was sliding down the mountain in the snow on a tea try the day before her anurism (sp?) burst - but not everyone ages well. I see people much younger than 50 who don't look as if they'll make old bones.

That'll be a tea tray

It is slightly better than it used to be. I was reading a school log book from 1919 tonight and they wouldn't consider applicants for an infant headship over the age of 40yrs because they thought such an 'elderly woman' wasn't suitable to work with young children!!

My cousin died of an aneurism a couple of years ago aged 47. We all considered it a terrible and tragic untimely death. Yes, some people die before their mid 50s, but it is not the norm and considered very sad and tragic.

As I said, it's unusual. But my point was that people age in different ways and at different times. DH's grandmother's sister was delivering meals on wheels to people 15 years her junior. Of course it's daft to portray people in their mid 50s as old in general but it's also daft to assume that all of us will be swinging from the lampshades into our 80s.

No one's assuming that Letsface. But following your logic we should be marketing retirement homes to people in their 40s and 30s because a very small percentage of people in those age groups suffer from degenerative or life limiting illnesses.

I get ads for a local retirement village. I meet the age requirements as does Dh. We thought about going along - we're "older parents" & have a DS at home so would need to ask about two bedroom flats....

No that's stretching it far too far. I know a fair few teachers who are the last to be able to retire in their mid 50s. For some of them who may want to have a 'lock up and leave' self-contained apartment where the garden is taken care of and someone keeps an eye on the place whilst they go off spending their lump sum on round the world travel, it's not such a bad idea. It depends on the set up. They are the last of the lucky ones re retirement as we'll all ahve to teach till they nail the lid down in future.

There are retirement homes and retirement homes.

To call the advertising 'absolutely crazy and out of touch with reality' because of your sister and her husband is missing the point. Besides, if they are a successful business, they'll have done their market research, I'd have thought.

Famous 55 year olds:

Prince, Madonna, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sharon Stone, Tim Robbins, Gary Oldman, Jennifer Saunders, Peter Capaldi, Holly Hunter, Paul Whitehouse, Joan Jett.

Can't see any of that lot in a retirement complex just yet.

CorusKate - that's exactly right.

Oh I don't know, I reckon Paul Whitehouse would fit right in

Anyway, this 50 year ols is off to sleep now. My run has knackered me out today and I've got a 6.30 start tomorrow.

YABU OP. It's an advert for a service which people can choose or not choose. It's not as if they're turning up at 55th birthday parties and marching them off to the retirement home.

Letsface I was using my sister and her husband as a fairly typical example of mid 50 somethings. Retirement age for most people is at least ten years away at that age, and retirement home age many years after that.

It is horrible to try marketing 55 as 'retirement' age and is out of touch with reality.

My parents moved into a retirement flat when they were respectively 86 and 77. The people running it were quite surprised when DF wanted to know where to keep his bike and how he could sort out his broadband connection.

The thing that annoys me is how many of these places assume that all old people want to do is listen to Vera Lynn records and the like. They can't seem to get their heads round the fact that current 75 year olds were probably into Elvis and Bobby Darin, moving on to buying Beatles and Rolling Stones records.

My 54 yr old sister has a ten year old daughter.

My 56 yr old boss is learning how to fly aeroplanes.

My 59 year old neighbour has just graduated from University.

It is beyond daft to be marketing retirement homes at 55 year olds and sends out an awful and very depressing message to society.

Beyond daft sums it up. I don't think they'd want me and my friends there.

I am 56. God I'd love a quiet peaceful retirement complex! But my teenagers put the ku bosh on that. BUT 55 and over, isn't that because it's when many people can get their occupational pensions?

I am 70 and dh is 78 we do not feel anywhere near ready for a retirement complex. Ask me in 10 years time :)